


Resignation

by Joking611



Series: Cari'ssi'mi Drabbles [21]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 02:05:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11864385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611
Summary: Miranda tries to sever her ties, but finds out that it's harder than she thinks





	Resignation

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge Yourself: A Month Of Fanfiction 2017
> 
> Thursday 8/17's Prompt: Breaking Up

She entered the comm code from memory, having long since deleted any contact information from her omni-tool.

She waited with practiced patience while her call routed itself through various false points of origin, until it finally connected her with her former employer.

“Miss Lawson, I’m surprised to hear from you.”

The Illusive Man hadn’t turned around. That alone told her that she was definitely persona non grata in the Cerberus organization. Not that she expected anything less. She’d made herself a dangerous enemy in the man projected on her ‘tool. Just how dangerous remained to be seen.

Not that she wasn’t dangerous too.

“You left a message. It would be rude not to return it.” A message indeed. One word to a blind drop. “Call”, it had said.

“And I thank you for that.” He still hadn’t turned around. “Miranda, I just wanted to tell you, no hard feelings. We worked well together, but we both know it was time for you to move on.”

He was drawing this out. She glanced at the timestamp in the projection, calculating how long it would take him to break her deception and identify her actual location.

“There was a time,” he continued, “when I believed you to be my heir apparent. That someday you would take over the reigns when I retired.”

“Retirement,” she shook her head. “I find the idea of you retiring to be unlikely.”

“It was one idea, and a misguided one at that. You see Miranda, you were always focused on the task, the goal at hand. You saw the need to elevate humanity in the galaxy, but you would have accepted parity with the other species. That’s not enough for newcomers like us. For us to truly be respected, we need to be feared, we need to be able to overpower the other races, destroy them if necessary.” He shook his head. “You lack vision.”

“I have no desire to see humanity go the way of the krogan, or the rachni. Our interactions with other races are steadily improving. If you didn’t believe that, why work with Shepard? She’s practically a xenophile.”

“The commander is not the topic of this discussion,” he replied coldly. “Nor of any other that we might have in the future.”

A sore spot there, she noticed. She hadn’t decided if it was worth pursuing before he continued.

“Eden Prime is an unusual location for a fugitive, don’t you think?” The fourth lie of the conversation, not that Miranda was keeping count. This was his way of letting her know that the first layer of misdirection had been pierced. They both knew she wasn’t on Eden Prime, but it was all part of the dance. The next location he’d uncover would be Australia, on Earth. He might pause there, knowing that sentimentality was not in her nature, but then she might very well go there because it wasn’t in her nature.

“But the weather is lovely this time of year,” A lie for a lie, that. Constant was in the middle of its rainy season, and no other city on the planet was deserving of the name.

He nodded as if receiving a truth. “You’ve done me another favor as well, Miranda. In addition to eliminating the exorbitant costs associated with maintaining the Normandy from Cerberus responsibility, your departure has allowed me to reopen ties with Henry.” He took a drag from his cigarette. “A good friend, Henry. He’s been waiting for an opportunity to be able to provide support to the cause again. It was good to see him, to talk about old times.”

Miranda was losing track of the lies now. Was this seven? Eight? He was working on the third relay point by now, with two to go. Time to wrap this up.

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to part on such good terms.” Years of deception allowed her to keep a straight face.

“You were a valued member of the organization for many years, Miranda.” He finally turned. “Feel free to use us as a reference.”

All right, he almost got her with that one. She’d forgotten how charming he could be, for someone so malicious.

“Good-bye, Miranda. My best to your sister.”

And just like that, she was back to hating him, hating everything he’d done, everything he’d stood for. Hating what he’d turned her so willingly into.

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

She opened the door to the privacy booth, a common fixture on Illium, where eavesdropping was practically a competitive sport. She stepped out quickly, almost colliding with a tall asari.

“Pardon me,” she said, averting her face. She had no desire to be recognized. Not here, not where anything could be had for a price, especially a hit.

“You are safe, Miranda,” came the surprising reply, causing the former Cerberus operative to reach for her sidearm. “I am here to protect, not harm.”

The human just shook her head in disgust, even as she recognized Anedra. _‘So much for not blowing my cover.’_ She tried to give the asari the brush off. “Thanks, I’m fine. You can tell Liara…”

“The Lady T’Soni is not on Illium.”

That drew Miranda up short. “Then who…?”

“I am here at Eliata’s direction Ma’am.”

Miranda peered up at the asari, desiring to get out of sight, but wanting to solve this mystery as well. At least Eliata was a name she knew from her reconnaissance on Liara. “Thank you, but…”

The asari raised her arm, activating her omni tool. She entered a swift series of commands, and Miranda’s tool beeped an acknowledgement. “These are funds, safe houses, resources. There are also single use comm codes to be used in the event additional assets are required.”

Wonderful. Now she’d have to destroy this ‘tool as compromised. “Anything else?”

“We recommend that you do not attempt to make contact with Liara, or Shepard for that matter, directly. This would be anticipated, and could place you in jeopardy.”

 _‘Thanks for the tip,’_ she thought sarcastically. One last question. Her skin was already crawling under the tension of imagined pursuit.

“Why are you doing this?”

“We are tasked with protecting the family,” came the stoic response.

“Are you kidding? I saved Shepard. I’m no threat to them.”

“I’m here for you, not them,” Anedra clarified.

“Of course you are.” She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ve got to disappear.”

The asari nodded in understanding. “Three Cerberus agents arrived in Nos Astra this morning. They have been dealt with. You should be safe until tomorrow.”

Anedra turned to leave. “Good luck to you.”

Miranda watched the asari walk away, dumbfounded.

By the time she’d switched cabs for the third time she still didn’t know if she should be more angry at Liara, or Shepard.


End file.
